If the Black Pack isn't waterproof, why wouldn't a black milk crate work just as well?

Jerry,If your looking for storage only, a milk crate may do the job, but as a accessory mounting platform...they suck, and this is where the BlackPak shines.

The ability to add GearTracs, rod holders, rod tubes, RAM or Scotty mounts plus GearWebs and the like, makes this investment a no-brainer for me and others.

Also, the fit in the tankwell of my PA12 is perfect (for me) as it allows the Hobie Trac-2/30 cart to fit in the scupper and still have room for a Polar Bear 12-pack soft cooler in front of or behind the BlackPak....hell, I could probably get a 24-pack in either spot.

FWIW- no need for a large livewell as I'm artificials & fly 99% of the time.....with live shrimp on ice to tip jigs with the other 1% of the time.

Even though I think blackpaks are pretty nice compared to a regular milk crate, I've seen all the same stuff mounted on regular milk crate.. I don't use either, because i don't understand the purpose of having it in a PA.

You have six rod holders at your feet, two in the hull behind the seat, and most people have a couple on the mounting boards up front.... How many rod holders do you need to go fishing for the day? I have a mighty mount on the hull behind my seat for the Visicarbon pro, two scotty flush mounts in the front boards along with my FF and Gopro. I keep extra clothes or a jacket in a dry bag in the front compartment, and my tackle box rides in the rear compartment...

That's just my opinion, I can understand maybe having something like that in the smaller yaks, but unless you're just looking to blow money, I can't see it for the PA. But then again, i can't understand why people spend so much money on gear tracks everywhere and all the expensive hardware and PIA brackets required to mount stuff to them either. I have never felt the need to slide my holders or FF forward or backward, but i paid attention to where i was putting them to begin with. And if i thought i might want another one further foward, for example, another flush mount base is 10 bux, and i can easily pop the holder out of one and into the other.

Let's not deny the fact that people treat their kayaks like they would treat their motorcycle, or their collectible car. They are, in many cases, something for us to blow money on. We could all fish for a lot less money than we do, but new gear is half the fun...

+1.......I went with the minimalist approach on my PA-14 after first owning an Outback for 3 years......there is "only so much stuff you really need or actually use on board" when fishing. The main item I changed was upgrading to a larger net....so the only items mounted with hardware are the 3 Scotty flush mounts for 2 rods + a Visicarbon Pro safety flag/light, Humminbird fish finder/gps mounted to Ram base & 1" ball with 6" arm, Scotty Depthmaster #1050 downrigger.

I have a total of 4 Plano tackle boxes that fit under the seat and the 2 Plano boxes that fit into the rectangular hatch in front of the seat...... anchor, portable bilge hand pump, first aid kit, paddle, extra clothes, camera, male plastic urinal, 25' bow line are inside the front hatch insert....2 rods, fish lip gripper, fish bat/bonker, fishing life jacket, license and that's about it.

I thought I would respond to a couple of the comments regarding my use of the YakAttack BlackPak.....

Rods & rod storage-I carry three rods (spinning & baitcaster) 95% of the time, with a fly rod thrown in once in a while for good measure. I have no use for the cockpit/gunnel horizontal rod storage (except during transport), nor do I use the molded in rod holders behind the seat. I use two of the three holders on the crate and have a Zooka tube up front.

GearTracs-On my last PA12, I had a RAM Tube and my FF/GPS mounted at the rear of the mounting boards....didn't work for me due to the fact that both got in my way when I was standing and paddling/poling. On my new PA12, I went with a pair of YakAttack 12" GT90's mounted on the gunnels between the boards and the side handles. This allows me to adjust the location of the rod holder and FF/GPS to meet my needs of the day and also allows me to mount a RAM X-Grip & Panfish Portrait where I want.I have rigged many, many kayaks and am very familiar with thinking out any & all installs and then to measure six times and drill once. .......that's the great thing about tracks; I only need to do that install permanently, not the accessory itself.

Onboard storage-I don't utilize the front hatch for storing anything I'll need while on the water, nor do I use the center hatch for anything other than the two Plano boxes in the rotating tackle tray and my waterproof box that holds the 12v 7ah gel battery for the electronics.I have everything I need in one place, not stored all over the stupid boat....I need the measuring board: it's on the B/Pak. I need my rain gear, in the B/Pak. I need the trauma kit, it's in the B/Pak, I need my terminal tackle, it's.....well, you get the idea. And when I'm done for the day, everything comes off the boat together....in or on the BlackPak.

Mounting platform-The BlackPak allows me to have multiple accessories to be mounted securely without drilling a bunch of holes for each item. I'm able to have a HD video camera mounted behind me, elevated enough to capture the action in front of me. It allows the VISICarbon Pro light/flag to be high enough to do some good (well above my head), and still leaves me room for other stuff....not yet thought of.

For me, this is an example of "minimalist" and the perfect addition to my Pro Angler, if you don't own one (BlackPak).......you wouldn't understand.

I have a Pro Angler 14 and although it has 6 rod storage tubes, I can always use a quick draw rod holders. I have two on front for trolling or a quick place to put the rod while unhooking a fish, the two on the back and the Black Pac with three. I carry my net in one of them, my Assault paddle and three rods ready to go. In the BP I consolidated my Plano boxes with food and small accessories.

When you fish for 7-9 hours non stop, you become pretty acquainted with your needs and the BP certainly meets my needs regardless of the PA 14 size. I hate to be on the water with the rods in the tubes on the sides laying on the deck. That is where I put my coffee cup.

I have a Pro Angler 14 and although it has 6 rod storage tubes, I can always use a quick draw rod holders. I have two on front for trolling or a quick place to put the rod while unhooking a fish, the two on the back and the Black Pac with three. I carry my net in one of them, my Assault paddle and three rods ready to go. In the BP I consolidated my Plano boxes with food and small accessories.

When you fish for 7-9 hours non stop, you become pretty acquainted with your needs and the BP certainly meets my needs regardless of the PA 14 size. I hate to be on the water with the rods in the tubes on the sides laying on the deck. That is where I put my coffee cup.

relax folks... no one has to defend their use of it....lol. Do what you want. if you don't want to use any of the stuff that is built into the boat for you to use, then that's fine. I was simply giving my take on it.. I've never felt like stuff was hard to get to while sitting in my seat..

relax folks... no one has to defend their use of it....lol. Do what you want. if you don't want to use any of the stuff that is built into the boat for you to use, then that's fine. I was simply giving my take on it.. I've never felt like stuff was hard to get to while sitting in my seat..

To each their own...

No defending here, just explaining......the only person I need to defend my kayak fishing expenditures to is my wife!

relax folks... no one has to defend their use of it....lol. Do what you want. if you don't want to use any of the stuff that is built into the boat for you to use, then that's fine. I was simply giving my take on it.. I've never felt like stuff was hard to get to while sitting in my seat..

To each their own...

No defending here, just explaining......the only person I need to defend my kayak fishing expenditures to is my wife!

I hear ya.... If my wife knew my real kayak expenditures, there would be no explaining them....lol

I pre-plan all of my expenditures with weeks of schmoozing before pulling the trigger. Omaha has tons of no-wake lakes all over. Perfect for kayak fishing. This particular pic is in Bellevue, Walnut Creek.